OpenSynonym

jerry-built

/ˈdʒɛriˌbɪlt/

ADJECTIVE

1. Built cheaply and with poor quality

Constructed quickly and cheaply using inferior materials or careless workmanship, with little regard for quality, strength, or safety.

1.1. Buildings constructed poorly with cheap materials

Describes houses, apartments, or other structures built hastily with low-quality materials or inadequate workmanship, often making them weak or unsafe.

Synonyms

  • shoddy
  • ramshackle
  • rickety
  • flimsy
  • slipshod
  • poorly constructed

Antonyms

Examples

  • The jerry-built houses began showing cracks only a few years after construction.
  • Residents complained about the jerry-built apartment block after parts of its roof collapsed.

Related Words

  • substandard construction
  • inferior materials
  • poor workmanship
  • structural weakness
  • construction defects
  • unsafe building

1.2. Equipment or objects made in a flimsy or makeshift way

Describes equipment, devices, or other objects assembled cheaply or carelessly, often with weak components and an unreliable construction.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The laboratory used a jerry-built apparatus that frequently malfunctioned.
  • He replaced the jerry-built shelving with a sturdy metal storage system.

Related Words

  • inferior components
  • makeshift assembly
  • cheap materials
  • faulty construction
  • poor engineering
  • unreliable equipment

1.3. Projects or systems developed in a haphazard way

Describes a project, organization, or system put together without proper planning or a sound structure, making it weak, improvised, or difficult to sustain.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The company relied on a jerry-built management system that could not support its rapid growth.
  • Their jerry-built proposal lacked a clear structure and a realistic implementation plan.

Related Words

  • poor planning
  • improvised system
  • weak foundation
  • organizational flaws
  • lack of structure
  • temporary arrangement